Cabinets or shelves are often mounted on the interior walls of buildings. Interior building walls, however, are typically constructed of wallboard, plasterboard, sheetrock or other material structurally modest in nature. The structural characteristics of interior walls have therefore been the critical factor in determining the maximum weight which can be safely supported thereby.
Various devices have been developed for mounting cabinets or shelves on a wall. Cabinets are relatively heavier in general, and it has been common practice to mount cabinets by securing them directly to studs or structural members hidden behind the wall. Shelving, of course, can also be mounted in this manner. This mounting technique requires determination of the exact locations of the studs, a procedure typically involving formation of several pilot holes through the wall. Spacing between the studs, however, is not necessarily compatible with the type unit desired to be mounted. Flexibility in positioning the unit on the wall is thus limited by the locations of the support members, and substantial damage to the wall is usually caused by removal of the cabinets or shelving.
Another approach has been to utilize brackets or the like which are received by slotted members attached vertically to the wall only. U.S. Pat. No. 693,127 contains an example of an adjustable bracket which is fairly typical of this approach. While these types of wall mountings afford more placement flexibility, their load-bearing capacity has never been substantial. In addition, these type mountings have an "add-on" look and thus detract from the appearance of the wall and the entire room.
There is thus a need for a new and improved apparatus of greater load-bearing capacity for mounting cabinets, shelves or the like onto a wall.